Trump and His Fixers

by Bob Schwartz

Trump lawyer Michael Cohen today says that he paid hush money to Stormy Daniels out of his own pocket. It was, he claims, not Trump money or campaign money.

This puts the spotlight on the role of the “fixer”. Fixers come in two varieties.

There are lawyers who use every means, this side of the law, but questionably this side of morals and ethics, to help clients clean up messes. See, for example, the movie Michael Clayton starring George Clooney.

Then there are fixers who leave law, morals and ethics behind. Winston Wolfe (“The Wolf”) in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction is the perfect example. “I’m Winston Wolfe. I solve problems,” he says. His immediate problem is quickly cleaning up a car in which there has been a very messy murder.

Trump’s mentor as a young businessman was Roy Cohn, one of the most infamous and unscrupulous lawyer/fixers of his time. Trump has found lawyers and non-lawyers willing to clean up his messes, like Michael Cohen. But he’s never found anyone who can measure up to Cohn, who was one of a kind.

Trump’s hero as a mature businessman—and as president—is Vladimir Putin. Putin’s fixers make Roy Cohn look like a choir boy. There is literally nothing that Putin won’t ask his global network of fixers to do for him, and nothing they won’t do. Fear, loyalty and money are great motivators.

Trump would love to bring Roy Cohn back as his ultimate fixer. That’s not possible. Trump would also love to get the help of Putin’s fixers. Apparently, he already has.